News Archive

June 18, 2015 — Indira Esparza is not much older than the 12th graders she tutors at Garfield High School, yet she uses the opportunity to tell them that she was in their shoes not long ago and that they have the potential to go far. Esparza began her journey at The Preuss School UCSD, a charter middle and high school for low-income students who strive to become the first in their families to graduate from college. She received a scholarship from the Patricia and Christopher Weil Family Foundation to help support her undergraduate studies at UC San Diego. This June, she will begin her master’s degree in education and secondary teaching credential at UC San Diego, again with support from the Weil family, as the recipient of the inaugural Teacher Preparation Fellowship in the Department of Education Studies.

June 4, 2015 — LaWana Richmond has a passion for developing human potential. She makes time outside of her role as senior business analyst at UC San Diego to engage staff and support the goals of team members, from serving as chair of the UC San Diego Staff Association to chartering a Toastmaster’s International group on campus.

June 4, 2015 — She fell in love with the neuron during her first semester in college, and from there her passion for science took off with a bang. As a trained scientist, Mayim Bialik’s portrayal of neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler on the CBS sitcom “The Big Bang Theory” comes naturally. The show is currently the top-rated comedic television series in the nation, and Bialik uses her celebrity to serve as a female role model and advocate for STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math), a cause she feel strongly about.

May 28, 2015 — Angel Huerta is the first person parents and children see in the morning, greeting each family by name and a big smile. As head of food services at the UC San Diego Early Childhood Education Center, he is responsible for preparing and distributing three meals a day to more than 200 children, taking special care to monitor any food allergies. He is known as “Mr. Angel” by the children, who range in age from 3 months to 6 years, and helps enrich their understanding of healthy food.

May 14, 2015 — “Just announced call to dinner.” This key phrase jumpstarts commotion in the kitchen, everyone picking up the pace as though on fast forward. “Let’s get to work,” says Vaughn Vargus, executive chef at UC San Diego to his culinary team. The cold spring pea gazpacho is carefully ladled into 20 neatly aligned bowls, then the curly-q crème fraiche is added, and lastly, a fresh herb salad is placed perfectly in the center. After snapping a quick photo of the finished product, the first course is whisked away to the awaiting guests.

May 7, 2015 — The youngest of a Salvadorian family of seven, Franklin Mejia’s goal is to pursue a doctorate in educational psychology, which is why he joined the UC San Diego McNair Program. The program provides low-income, first-generation undergraduate students and students from groups underrepresented in graduate education with effective preparation for doctoral study. “I am truly blessed to be a part of the McNair Program,” said Mejia, a UC San Diego senior. “I believe I will gain the necessary skills to excel in my undergraduate research and prepare me for my Ph.D.”

May 7, 2015 — UC San Diego’s 33rd annual Sun God Festival, this year themed the “Greatest Festival on Earth,” was part musical rendezvous and part lively carnival. The student-curated daylong music festival drew 15,000 attendees from across campus to RIMAC field on Sunday evening for performances by national touring acts, amusement rides and an opportunity to unwind with friends.

April 30, 2015 — While he was developing UC San Diego’s first strategic plan in 2013, Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla held open forums with campus and community members where they discussed ways to increase campus diversity. A predominant response was the need to attract more first generation and historically underrepresented students. Attendees also discussed ways to improve UC San Diego’s academic excellence and student life.

April 30, 2015 — They are carefully melded to the earth, absorbed into woodlands and sewn into the fabric of existing structures. The sculptures that make up the internationally renowned Stuart Collection would not exist if they were not at UC San Diego. Each artist was invited to imagine their works on campus, choosing a location that uniquely resonated with them. Launched by the vision and philanthropy of James Stuart DeSilva more than three decades ago, a new $1 million gift by Mary Looker will establish an endowment to help foster the growth of the public art collection for years to come.

March 12, 2015 — It’s a sunny afternoon on Coronado Beach and 7th graders from Albert Einstein Academy are taking in some rays…that is, viewing a solar eclipse through specialized gear. The students were taking part in hands-on physics experiments on the beach to engage them in STEM learning—science, technology, education and mathematics. Led by Dianna Cowern, outreach coordinator for the UC San Diego Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, the physics workshop was filmed by a CBS News 8 crew for an INNOVATE 8 feature, a collaborative initiative to encourage exploration and inspire innovation in STEM learning.